Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 1 (ANI): Amid the Mumbai Indians (MI) drifting down the bottom of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 points table, with star players like Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah unable to influence matches, MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene said that Yadav and Bumrah are key match-winners, but also human beings who can go through lean phases.

He stressed that their character and resilience ensure they will keep fighting back. Jayawardene also felt that the team's focus is to take away unnecessary pressure from them and encourage them to stay relaxed, keep trying, and trust their abilities, as such challenges are a normal part of cricket.

Yadav has only managed 162 runs in 8 matches at an average of 20.25 and a strike rate of 140.86. On the other hand, ace seamer Bumrah has only scalped two wickets at an average of 132 and an economy rate of 8.8.

Jayawardene was speaking to the reporters on the eve of MI's high-voltage clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

'They are match winners (Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah), and they are human. They will go through these things, and their character is that they'll keep coming back and fighting. So the conversation we're having is not to have too much pressure on themselves because they feel that, okay, on their own, they should be able to deliver. So that is just saying it's fine. I mean, these things happen, let's keep trying,' Jayawardene said.

Jayawardene admitted that a few missed wins earlier in the season have put MI in a difficult position, but said the team still knows what is required moving forward. He described the remaining matches as 'playoff-like' encounters where there is no room for error.

'If we had won a few games in between as well, we still would be in the trail of where we need to be, and the confidence will be high, and all that. So every game from now on for us is most likely like a playoff game in a sense. And these guys are professional enough to understand, and they'll come fighting even harder, and then see what opportunities we have going forward, and that's all I can ask as a coach, and they are up for the challenge,' Jayawardene added.

The five-time IPL champions have been struggling to get their season underway, they have just managed 2 wins in their 8 clash so far and are placed in 9th position in the points table. (ANI)